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Pennsylvania’s Farmland Raptor Project Laurie Goodrich & Katie Andrews
Pennsylvania’s Farmland Raptor Project
Laurie Goodrich & Katie Andrews
SHORT-EARED OWL NORTHERN HARRIER
Endangered in Pennsylvania Threatened in Pennsylvania
Breeding Bird Atlas 1980s to 2000s
??
- 48% Harrier
AMERICAN KESTREL BARN OWL
Populations declining in Eastern
North America
Declining in Pennsylvania (SSC)
1984-1989 (220 blocks)
2004-2008 (117 Blocks)
PA BREEDING BIRD ATLAS MAPS
?Solution?: Engaging
Landowners in conservation
PROBLEM: --Declining populations of farmland-associated birds, some threatened & endangered --Lack of survey data on rare species -- Most field habitats are privately owned
Goal = Reach out to landowners to: • Enlist help in locating breeding and wintering
sites • Encourage farmland owners to put up boxes,
delay mowing for harriers and owls • Encourage birders to report sightings to us or to
EBird to identify key sites winter and summer • Encourage birders to revisit historical sites • Create easy to use on-line system of reporting • Include staff verification/education
Gather updated information on distribution of four species of declining farmland raptors in Pennsylvania
Improve collaboration and reward land owners
Outreach BARN OWL -----Collaborate with PA Game Commission
PROJECT OUTREACH
Photos by: George Andrews
2012-2013— > 9,000 people
Heemet Fescht Christmas on the Farm Hope Hill Lavender Farm Fest Berks County Parks Go Fly a Kite Day Meridian Bank Retiree Group Luncheon Covered Bridge Festival Ag Progress Days** Somerset County Fair Old Dry Road Farm Fall Festival Journals Articles: Historic Barn and Farm Foundation Hay and Forage Grower Farming Magazine
Fairs, Talks, Presentations PA Farm Show (7 day) PSU Ag Day ** PA Sustainable Agricultural Conference ** Kutztown Future Farmers of America Blue Mountain Wildlife Asso. PA Young Farmers Asso. Winter Meeting Kutztown Middle School Schuylkill County Fair PA German Cultural Heritage Center Kempton F
Events, Talks, Articles in 2016
**Done by Shavers Creek Raptor Center
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Landowners Observers InformationRequests
Supporter Total
2012-2016 Farmland Raptor Network
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
#Sightings Reported/ year
Compared to Atlas records from 2004-2009
Kestrel Web Cam (& videos) Teacher Workshop Kestrel Curriculum
Kestrels in Education at Hawk Mountain
FOR INFO see www.hawkmountain.org Or Erin Brown, [email protected]
Strausstown Rod and Gun Club BARN (Berks Ag)
OverHome Alpaca
WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED shillington
Blue Rocks Campground E. Briner
Photos provided by Brent Bacon, Vic Berardi, Dan Mummert, Mary Linkvich, VIREO, Shawn Carey, David McNicholas, Vic Berardi, Rick Carlson, Bill Moses.
Volunteers—Katie Andrews, Sheila Miller, Peter Phelan, Annie Stockmail, Kutztown High School, Marc Robinson, HMS volunteers
Partners– Shavers Creek Raptor Center Pennsylvania Game Commission
Contact us with questions or sightings at: Email: [email protected] Phone: 570-943-3411 x 106 By mail: Hawk Mountain Farmland Raptor Project 1700 Hawk Mountain Road Kempton, PA 19529.
